Over the years, I've read hundreds of books;
each year I read two or three score.
And if life stays for me pretty much as it has,
I'll no doubt read a few hundred more.
I've read dozens of "classics" (or so they were billed) ,
and a few of them bored me to tears.
By and large, though, it's really quite easy to see
why they've lasted for so many years.
Some of those that I've read were described as "self-help"
(nearly three dozen by my last count) .
The advice they provide isn't really so bad
If it's taken in moderate amounts.
C.S. Lewis, John Steinbeck, Mark Twain and their ilk
all had styles I have grown to adore.
J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, Nora Roberts et al
are all writers I could not ignore.
But of all of the books that I've read to this point,
the one I remember the best
is the best-selling book throughout all history
and is read more than all of the rest.
The Old and New Testaments combine to make
the best reading known to us all.
And if life stays for us pretty much as it has,
it's doubtful the numbers will fall.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem